Monday, January 11, 2016

With All My Love

Dear Elder Schenewark,

Your mission Facebook page posted this picture, mentioning a few names, and that it was transfer day. Were you there?

Your brother Tanner is much in love with his wife. He posted this for the world: "Can I have a moment to brag about my BEAUTIFUL wife? 2016's barely begun and she's finishing her last semester of college, completely self-funding a trip to Ghana (to end child trafficking) through grants she's written, working part time, and taking care of me full-time. How blessed I am to have married this sweet wonderful girl! ‪#‎loveloveloveloveher‬. " Its a good summary to know what she's up to. He's still going to school, working his two jobs, planning on his summer in San Diego, with his wife, and contemplating an internship in Scotland in the fall. Sis. Cumming shad them over today for dinner. Such a great friend, I've still yet to meet!

Porter's still playing basketball, still bringing home free basketball shoes and lots of clothing. they also get to have a team dinner before their next games, four at homes and two at restaurants. He's still growing. I think. Everyday he comes home looking huge. I know all the weights he's been lifting make him look bigger. Dad was telling him he heard his coach on the radio mention he's never had a team that's gotten along so well. His comment? "He should thank me. I'm the glue that bonds the two sides of the team together." Dad's reply? He must like you. He keeps you glued to the bench every game."

Cooper's still creating. This week it was a fishing lure out of an old (cracked) golf ball. He and Sawyer spent yesterday afternoon at the Weatherford College merit badge college. He's working on nuclear science, electricity and sculpture. Sawyer is working on sculpture, Citizenship in the Nation and personal management. They both came home with 25 pounds of clay, and have two weeks to make a bust, an animal and an apple.

Sawyer's game was Friday evening. Their team lost by a point, but it was a fun game to watch. Dad's his assistant coach, and sits on the sideline thinking, "I still hate basketball." I think it's funny his boys have all played, and he just grins and bears it, mostly for me, but he's always glad when the season is over.

Today at the dinner table Miller asked, "If there's a mommy worm and a daddy worm together, where do their babies come from?" I love my job. Kids do say the funniest things. Needless to say, the dinner conversation was entertaining.

Millers basketball game on Saturday was fun to watch. Miller likes to hang back, and intercept bad passes, but that means he's not very offensive. So they're not winning very many games, because if he was more aggressive his team would be undefeated. He always gets chosen to sit out the second quarter, though and goes back in the game in the third quarter. This week they were down 0-12, when he was fouled, missed the basket, and took to the line for two free throw shots, and made them both. Perhaps this gave him a bit of confidence he needed, as within the next ninety seconds, he scored three more points, almost in the three point range, and had his team back in the game 8-12. He still didn't win, but the second half of the third quarter was impressive.

Breyer frequently plays with the big tub of plastic animals we've collected throughout the year. She goes through different spurts. Frogs, butterflies, dinosaurs, cheetahs, leopards, zebras....I have to empty the bucket and find all of what she wants for the day. This week it's been horses. Tonight she fell asleep sobbing in her bed. She stopped to look at her picture of Larry, and the tears flowed. "Why can't I go back to Ohio? I miss him so much. My heart is breaking." She's so sweet. And it's all true, with a little tiredness mixed in, as well as recovering from a nasty virus.

News about your other family? Roger and Kristine are in Massachusetts, setting up an apartment, and beginning full time work. He's a tool representative that visits the big home improvement stores. Derek has announced his engagement to Shannon, the end of April in Houston. We'll be making the drive down. Grampy's spleen may be gone, but his blood is making a come back. His platelets are up over 300K, from 15K. Your grandmother celebrated another birthday.

Dad called Sis. Young today...she said her husband, while on his mission, would encounter who German towns in Brazil, still speaking German. He spent many weeks with President David O. McKay, traveling with him throughout the area.

Your favorite Rocky came out with essentially Rock VII, Creed. He 's the trainer for Apollo Creed's son. Put that on your list when you come home ;-)

Today in church Sawyer pointed out someone that he thought looked familiar. He was the father of a cub scout in our community pack. I dragged him from the last row of the overflow to the front of the chapel to sit with us. He's the only member in his family, but hopefully his two sons and wife will join us soon. I got the pinewood derby to be held in our church the end of this month. It will be good for his wife to come to our church.

Relief Society was fun. We're getting a bit more organized, and sure on our feet. The attendance was almost doubled, and there were seven ladies there that I've never seen before. We sang "Happy Birthday" to three ladies, at the end of the meeting, which made everyone smile. I met with my new young single adult adviser, who's anxious to help. My emergency preparedness (food) lady came with her thought, and by the end had everybody wanting to place an order from the storehouse, and learn how to make jam and whole wheat bread. Earlier in the week I took dinner to a widow, who had a shoulder surgery. Found out her son is living with her now, and while feeding the missionaries, told them to go back and start the discussions with him. Everyone keeps asking me if I'm overwhelmed. I think this job is terribly fun. I thought of you all during our lesson, as you were named after this prophet. A prominent theme in President Howard W. Hunter’s teachings is that true peace, healing, and happiness come only as a person strives to know and follow Jesus Christ.

Where #SuperHeroes Are Found

Where the Boys Go to Play!

BOY Translation

Successful Children

What Mom Believes

"We are created as much from the dust of eternity as we are from the dust of the earth. Every one of us has potential we can scarcely imagine." Joseph B. Wirthlin

“We write to taste life twice once in the moment and retrospect.” Anias Nin

Here is my secret. It is very simple: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery

When we are filled with Love, we can make a profound difference. It's what we came to do. Ardeth G. Kapp

Men are what their mothers made them. - Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1860

In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance. Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hearts, notice the loneliness and despair; let us feel the silent prayers of others around us, and let us be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to answer those prayers. Dieter F. Utchdorf

I want to be the kind of Mom that would remember to get the broken Wheezy off of the shelf, fix his squeaker, and put him back in the toy box, having hope that my boys will still want to play.

Boy Scouts

11 out of 12 original astronaut corps (89%) who have walked on the moon have been an Eagle Scout